"There are great and talented people out there, but vice presidential candidates are interesting choices that will probably only make two or three days worth of news, unless they make some huge gaffe," Perry told CNN in an interview at the Republican Governors Association retreat in Aspen, Colorado. "As long as it's not me, I'll be cool."

Perry invoked another famous Texan, John Nance Garner, to make his point.

"I think it was 'Cactus Jack' Garner, who was VP under Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who said that being vice president is not worth a bucket of warm spit," he said.

"Mitt Romney's vision for America and what he says are what people are going to focus on, not the vice presidential candidate."

Perry also offered his first extended take on the Tuesday's Texas Senate runoff, in which his chosen candidate, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, was clobbered by former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz, who was backed by a small army of conservative politicians and interest groups.

Cruz ran a near-perfect campaign, Perry said – one modeled on his own 2010 re-election bid that painted the Obama administration as an overreaching, big-government enemy of Texas.

He said he spoke to Cruz on Wednesday to congratulate him.

"Ted Cruz ran one of the most amazing, well-disciplined focused campaigns that I have seen in my life," Perry said. "He did a great job of articulating his anti-Washington message and just totally penetrating through in very powerful and believable way."

Asked why he backed Dewhurst so aggressively if he held Cruz in such high esteem, Perry cited his decade-long working relationship with the lieutenant governor.

"I am a loyal guy," he said. "I am going to stand and be loyal to people who have been loyal to me. And David was a very good manager. He has done a great job as lieutenant governor. He is a conservative, socially and fiscally. He would have been a great United States senator, but the fact is the Texas people said you know this is the guy [Cruz] that we want. And you know what? Good on 'em."

Perry said he plans to make a decision about whether to seek an unprecedented fourth full term in Austin in June 2013, after that year's legislative session concludes.
"As long as my health and my passion stays up, I have every intention of continuing to offer myself for public service to the people of Texas," he said.

As for the possibility of running for president again - a prospect freely discussed among some of his advisers - Perry said it's too far too early to speculate.

"That's way down the road," he said. "We've got to get November 6 over with. Which, by the way, is my wedding anniversary."

soundoff(19 Responses)

Wire Palladin, S. F.

My concern is that Mittens will choose someone for VP who thinks like he does, someone like Ted "Crappy Pants' Nugent. In the extreme possibility that Mittens would get elected, 6 months into his presidency, it was discovered that Mittens filed tax returns that did not include his foreign accounts which is a crime. Like Nixon, he is then arrested and forced to resign, leaving us with Ted 'Crappy Pants' Nugent in charge.

Good! That means Perry is out, confined away from the American public, where he can do less damage. There were three reasons Romney has overlooked him. First, he's not a bright man. Second, he's hyper-polarizing. And third.....EPA.

August 3, 2012 07:38 am at 7:38 am |

Steven Colo

Ideally, the VP choice should make no difference. Unless it's a bad choice, in which it will hurt Romney. Lloyd Bentsen was one of the best VP choices ever, and he didn't help Dukakis even after he skewered Quayle in debates. The only VP choice that I recall making a difference was Palin.

►Perry: Romney's VP pick won't make much difference◄
That's because Romney will not make a difference – He has to pick someone that won't overshadow him and he is already in the dumps!!

Obama 2012 – The Only Trusted Way Forward!!

August 3, 2012 07:44 am at 7:44 am |

sbssue1

Sorry Rick, It will make a difference. He needs a solid male running mate if he can't get Condi.....Actually, Condi Rice is the only one for the job. She knows more than most all of us. Very smart lady. Very smart and intelligent. I hope it happens.

August 3, 2012 07:46 am at 7:46 am |

mark

Ummmm.....OK.... Thanks for letting us know Rick....

August 3, 2012 08:01 am at 8:01 am |

Derek

Is his serious? The VP pick can easily destroy a candidate. McCain anyone?

August 3, 2012 08:11 am at 8:11 am |

The GOP need to pack up and leave

If he picks a bad VP nominee like Palin, Bachmann, Christie, any GOPer, Dan Quayle, etc, it'll make headlines. Definitely, it'll make headlines.

August 3, 2012 08:20 am at 8:20 am |

Leeford

Rick Perry, the mountain of molten intellect. I guess he really does have a personal understandign of what it means to be ineffectual.

August 3, 2012 08:32 am at 8:32 am |

Rudy NYC

"Mitt Romney's vision for America and what he says are what people are going to focus on, not the vice presidential candidate."
--------------
Well, what has Mitt Romney said up till now? A whole lot of nothing. No more tax returns. When he was interviewed and asked what deductions would he eliminate to pay for his massive tax cut, he replied that the Congress would have to work that out and that it was not for him to decide.

August 3, 2012 08:44 am at 8:44 am |

Randy, San Francisco

Gov Rick Perry has it half right. It can't help..but it sure can hurt if a Palin type candidae is chosen.

August 3, 2012 08:54 am at 8:54 am |

v_mag

"Mitt Romney's vision for America and what he says are what people are going to focus on, not the vice presidential candidate."

No, Little Ricky, America is going to focus on Mittler Rob-money's 10 years of zero taxes.

August 3, 2012 09:21 am at 9:21 am |

American People

The American People want to see Mitt's tax returns for the last 20 years. We also want to know how many jobs he off-shored. And how much of those profits are sitting in off-shore accounts evading taxes.

August 3, 2012 09:34 am at 9:34 am |

S.B. Stein E.B. NJ

Perry could actually be correct on this one. Unless there is something about the VP that draws so many people into the campaign (unlikely), the VP slot is just to rally the base like Palin was or someone who is a safe bland bet. Given Romeny, bland could be just more of the same.

August 3, 2012 09:52 am at 9:52 am |

Just a Thought

You got that right Ricky....Flip the Robme is going for the "Dumb Vote" and those people do not require truth, facts or substance. In fact the more the Flipper hides and lies, the more he appeals to his knuckle dragging base of supporters.

But by contrast, he has no chance with anyone that is intelligent, not willing to coronate him to the WH just because he's rich and can lie like a rug.